Excellence in Teaching by Teaching Assistants and Part-Time and Non-Tenure Track Faculty

Each year, the University at Albany honors special members of its community with Excellence Awards denoting exceptional contributions to the life of the campus. Three faculty members received this tribute in 2005 for Excellence in Teaching by Teaching Assistants and Part-Time and Non-Tenure Track Faculty.

Mary Arensberg Valentis, English

Mary Arensberg Valentis of the English department is consistently praised for her accessibility to students. Students have only high praise for Valentis's classes and seek her out for undergraduate courses, independent study, a master's exam or dissertation committee. As Kathleen Thornton, lecturer and director of English Undergraduate Advisement, noted: "She represents what is best about our profession: the ability to inspire students."

Valentis joined UAlbany as a part-time instructor in 1977, earned her Ph.D. here in 1979, and became a full-time lecturer in 1985. She is director of the Center for Humanities, Arts, and TechnoSciences (CHATS), and was co-founder and, from 1999-2003, co-director, of

HumaniTech, an interdisciplinary initiative. Most recently, she collaborated with the University Libraries this spring on a series of events focusing on the novelFrankenstein.

She is the author of many books, including Romantic Intelligence, (2003, New Harbinger); Brave New You (2001, New Harbinger); and Female Rage (with Ann Devane) (1994, Carol Southern books).

Excellence in Teaching by Teaching Assistants and Part-Time and Non-Tenure Track Faculty